Sanders’ AEW Rampage Review 7.14.23
Good Friday y’all, Lee Sanders here and you know what that means! It’s AEW RAMPAGE time, let’s go!
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Chris Jericho
Arena: Sasktel Centre
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
MATCH 1: KEITH LEE AND DUSTIN RHODES VS MATT MENARD AND ANGELO PARKER
Keith Lee begins this one with a bang as he delivers an overhead chop to Parker before delivering a scoop slam on Parker and Menard. Dustin gets the tag as Lee slams Dustin onto Menard! It was a pretty cool spot as Menard is sent into the ropes as Dustin connects with a beautiful armdrag takedown before also giving one to Parker as well. Menard ramming his shoulders into Dustin’s abdominal region in the corner. Dustin comes back with his trademark chop under the neck before delivering right hands to Menard and Parker in the corner. Dustin gets setup to go in-between the ropes to crash outside the ring. Daddy. Angelo dropping heavy hands onto the head of Dustin as Parker is tagged back in to deliver big-right hands. Cover attempt made as Dustin kicks out. Menard tagged in as he strong-whips Dustin into the corner. Dustin is totally helpless right now as he needs to tag in the big man, Keith Lee. Excellent tag team synergy by Menard and Parker as we head into our first set of ad breaks. We are back as Lee gets the hot tag as he delivers body splashes, lefts and rights to Menard and Parker. Parker sent flying into Menard as Lee throws Dustin into them as well. Parker and Menard come back with a double ddt on Lee. Pin attempt made as Dustin breaks it up. Keith Lee catches Parker midair to send him crashing, back first, onto the canvas. Lee follows up with the super nova for the victory.
Winner:Keith Lee and Dustin Rhodes (10:00)
Rating: **
Decent opener for Rampage but this match was so random. I’m surprised we’ve yet to see Parker and Menard approach Jericho about the potential breakup of the JAS. The man was on commentary tonight. It would’ve been nice to see them go over to Jericho and say to him they really need his continued guidance. They could talk about how they really won’t focused because of everything that went down on Dynamite. Heck we could’ve seen them look on dirty at Jericho as Jericho excuses himself and we see this play out backstage. A huge fumble they made right here. Meanwhile, the team of Lee and Dustin is clicking well. Love to see them get more tv time.
QTV segment now. When the clip becomes available I’ll post it below. Johnny TV issues a challenge to The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass to a trios match on the next Rampage.
MATCH 2: IZZY MCQUEEN VS TAYA VALKYRIE
Taya comes out with a spear that connects off the break and follows up with the curb stomp to end this one. Was this even 20 seconds? Nope!
Winner:Taya Valkyrie (13 seconds)
Rating: NR
SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH!!
The Outcasts come out post-match to tell Taya she’s a loser that hasn’t had luck stringing together wins since coming to AEW. Toni Storm tells Taya it’s because she’s a Canadian loser. Toni brags about how she’s continued to beat people left and right as Taya tells Toni she hasn’t faced her yet. Challenge is put out for a match for the AEW Womens Championship on Saturday’s Battle of the Belts VII. Challenge accepted!
HOOK is shown now as he apparently is eating outdoors at Ruby Tuesday or something as he throws the challenge to Jungle Boy to face him for the FTW Championship. This segment was too damn funny! I was more interested in what HOOK was eating than this program with JB.
MATCH 3: LANCE ARCHER VS TRENT BERETTA
Lance comes right out of the gate slugging on Trent as he’s choking him on the middle ropes. Trent tries chopping the chest of the big man. This just infuriates Archer more as he chops him down in the corner to tell him there’s no hugging going down tonight. Beretta tries looking for a sunset flip but instead settles for a chop to the chest. The big man charges at Trent who luckily moves out the way in time to send him crashing over the ropes and to the outside. Trent immediately delivers a dropkick through the ropes, and follows up with a dive in-between the ropes and a moonsault from the top rope to ground the big man. While the ref is distracted, Jake Roberts attacks Trent with his trademark clothesline as the fans pop hard for the move as we head into our next set of commercials. We are back as Trent connects with a half suplex and and a running knee to the face. Trent follows it up with a piledriver to get a near fall. Trent with forearm shots to the face as Archer begins to laugh hysterically. Archer with a body block that throws Beretta to his back. Beretta with another knee strike as he goes to the top rope and is denied by a knee to the face. Archer with the Blackout, followed by the short-arm lariat to end this one. Jake Roberts approves!
Winner:Lance Archer (10 minutes)
Rating: **
Initially I felt this was somewhat of a squash but you know this was actually a decent back and fourth. I expected for Archer to win and this was definitely the right way to go. Great seeing the big man back on tv as I’ve missed him and Jake Roberts. These two need to be a main fixture on Collision as there’s a few people I’d love to see them lock it up. At the top of my list? Give me CM Punk trading promos with Jake Roberts!
Post-match, Archer beats down on Chuck Taylor as well as Jake hands him a microphone. Archer demands Orange Cassidy come out to accept his challenge for a shot at the AEW International Championship, or Taylor and Beretta die. Cassidy comes out as we get word from Excalibur that per Tony Khan, the match is a go at Battle of the Belts VII. Archer is about to choke out Cassidy when Jake Roberts tells him to hold off until Saturday as they confiscate the championship before walking off.
Royal Rampage video package is shown as Matt Hardy, Ethan Page, and Team Jeff Jarrett are among the first to be announced for the match. No date just yet for when we’ll be seeing this match.
MATCH 4: TAKESHITA VS LANCE ARCHER VS MENTOS AKA MENTHOL AKA MENTALLO
Big lariat, and right hands on the smaller, masked man known as Mentallo. Mentallo with a dragon suplex with bridge attempt for a kick-out. Mentallo to the top rope but is denied as Takeshita connects with a delayed vertical suplex from the ropes. It’s followed up with a senton from the top for the win.
Winner:Takeshita (3 minutes)
Rating: NR
SQUASH, SQUASH, SQUASH!!
Rene is backstage talking with Dark Order as they are still upset with Hangman leaving them. Far as they are concerned that win they got last Friday on Rampage was the official rebirth for the Dark Order. They send a bold message to the locker room which is you’re either Dark Order or you’re not.
MATCH 5: WOMEN’S OWEN HART SEMIFINALS TOURNAMENT-ATHENA VS WILLOW NIGHTINGALE
And a collar lockup to begin this the two try grappling each other from behind for a quick escape. Another collar lock as they now trade off shoulder tackles. Willow with a leg scissors takedown, and a big elbow strike. Athena catches Willow’s boot on the ropes and trips her up to gain the offense. Willow is trying to fight her off as Athena delivers a dropkick to the ribs as we head into our final set of commercials. We are back as Athena attempts a rollup as Willow kicks out. Athena with a nice running elbow to the face for another cover attempt. We see yet another kickout as the two trade off chops to the chest. This has been one hard-hitting match as Willow misses a senton. Athena connects with a standing moonsault. Athena follows up with a crossface as Willow reverses it for a pin attempt. Athena breaks out as Willow hits the Death Valley driver for a big kickout. Willow with the straps coming down as she tried looking for the pounce but Athena chop-blocks the knee! Athena plants Willow in-between her legs, maybe looking for a piledriver, no—- it’s a pickup to her shoulder, and a possible GTS attempt when Willow counters and somehow turns it into a pin attempt for the 1…2..and 3! Willow did it! She did it!
Winner:Willow Nightingale (10 minutes)
Rating: ****
Great stuff! One of the best women’s matches for an episode of RAMPAGE in recent memory. Willow and Athena clicked extremely well in this one. I love how they rose to the occasion in this match while pulling all the stops to make this match feel of great importance. Of the tournament so far, this was one of my personal favorites. Willow going to the finals if no Skye Blue as an option is totally fine with me. Willow continues to win fans over weekly as there’s no denying she will be a future AEW Women’s Champion. Side note, lord the thickness in this match! I don’t pass out! Let the Church of Wrestling Fans say AMEN!
End of Show
THE FINAL SCORE: REVIEW
AVERAGE
This episode honestly felt like a throwaway episode with exception to the main event. All eyes is really on Collision and Battle of the Belts. Far as positives go, Lance Archer is back, Dark Order is done being nice guys, and Dustin Rhodes with Keith Lee continues finding their stride. Tony Khan and crew are finding their groove with Rampage as they continue key story arches but also neglecting the most important ones. Rampage needs to feel just as important to watch as the Wednesday and Saturday shows. You’ve got a decent amount of people that feel they can skip the Friday show and won’t miss anything important. Do you agree 411MANIACS? Sound off! For more great talk of all things wrestling and beyond, be sure to follow me on Twitter @THERCWRSHOW and check me out on YouTube.com/thercwrshow Enjoy the weekend y’all!